gratitude

Cocktails in the Garden

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It’s hard to believe that one week ago, Alex and I were strolling through the Atlanta Botanical Garden for some much-needed quality time in nature. We enjoyed several exhibitions, classical music in the gardens and some cocktails (mocktails for me) at a fancy bar inside Piedmont Park.

It’s funny how every time we do something, we see things in threes (for the Tracey Trio!) and something dog related, almost as if Linley guilts us for not bringing him along…

There’s something really special about wandering around and doing nothing with Alex; it’s probably my favorite thing to do with him. We were pointing out different plants that we enjoyed, and read all the descriptions we could find.

After re-upping on our drinks, we weaved through some windy paths and saw the lovely goddess (one of my favorite parts of the botanical gardens) and other fun surprises, like haikus written by elementary school students!

I miss this evening so much already, and I look forward to many more with Alex by my side!

Photos taken Thursday, September 24, 2026 at the Atlanta Botanical Garden.

Elberta Beach, Michigan

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After exploring the Empire Bluff Trail with Linley again and with Alex for the first time, we returned to a new beach that we stumbled upon before lunch. I can’t believe I’d lived in Michigan with Linley for six years, and yet I’d never even heard of Elberta Beach! It was truly a hidden gem.

I love hearing Lin walk on paneling!

We checked it out at lunchtime, and knew this was where we wanted to be at sunset. It was a massive beach with some smaller dunes, not too many people, some dogs and a cute pier with a small lighthouse at the end of it. Running along the beach with Alex and Linley is a staple of a solid “Tracey Trio” vacation, and that evening was no exception.

One of my favorite sights

I get emotional whenever I look at photos or watch videos from our beach trips. I can’t imagine myself anywhere else other than with my two brown-eyed boys with our toes in the sand and smiles on our faces.

Until next time! 🥹

Michigan Highlights

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Alex, Linley and I spent time with loved ones in Michigan a couple weeks ago, and it felt good to be back. Our experience there solidified long-term friendships, drew lines in the sand with others, and I was able to meet three virtual friends in person for the first time. While certain chapters closing is always hard, the closure and healing I found in my home state was not only meaningful, but necessary.

Alex had only been to Michigan one other time (in the dead of winter, so he could appreciate the lovely summer-into-fall weather!). Linley hadn’t been back since we moved to Atlanta in 2023, and my first time back last year was a flop. It goes without saying, but I’ll say it again anyway: this trip was exactly what we all needed.

Meeting Veronica and Nathan for the first time
Hearing Lin’s steps on a new beach
Taking Alex to Lin’s and my favorite hiking trail
Soaking in all the dune views
Enjoying a night under the stars
Waking up in the same yurt Lin and I stayed in three years ago
Lin’s and my sixth or seventh Bark in the Park, and Alex’s first!
Seeing deer on Linley’s gotcha day
Visiting my mom’s classroom again before her retirement
Showing Alex our favorite arboretum
Reuniting with Neil
Reuniting with Abbie (and Adam, not pictured!)
Reuniting with Meg and Robbie!
Meeting Madeline for the first time
Being back in Corktown, Detroit

Media taken Saturday, September 5 – Friday, September 11, 2026 in Michigan.

A great week with Alex & Linley

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I’m wide awake at 2:45am (which is highly unlikely me) because I’m so sad the fun of this week is over. I wish my mind didn’t think like that, but sometimes I long for the moments that just passed.

I know tomorrow (well, technically today) I’ll be in a better mood during my walks with Linley and throughout my conversations with Alex, but for now, I’m hearing them snore next to me, anxiously awaiting our next adventure.

East Palisades Dog Beach

We live about 20 minutes away from a bamboo forest trail that begins with a lovely dog beach! While I miss the Great Lakes very much, this kind of dog beach on the river is something Linley and I never experienced before coming here. Alex and I had so much fun encouraging Linley to explore, especially while jumping up on the rocks!

Wet Nose Wednesday

Our local Gwinnett Stripers baseball team hosted another Wet Nose Wednesday where pups are allowed at the games. They’re super fun and feature foster dogs as well, and any organization that supports rescuing is a winner in my book! We had so much fun and we can’t wait to go back next month. This was Alex’s and Linley’s fourth game today, and was my third.

Floating in Helen, Georgia

Yesterday (still feels like today to me because I’m up late 😅), I enjoyed one of the best days of my summer yet. Alex, Linley, two of our best friends and I floated in Helen, Georgia. We laughed, we had to navigate rapids and crowds, and Linley received tons of attention per usual. It was the perfect day with people I love.  We then stopped for lunch nearby with the kindest server, Jordan, and enjoyed some mountain views at a local winery. This day was so perfect that I didn’t want it to end!

While I’m sad this week is over, I know we’ll have several fun memories to come this summer, too! And I’m going to cherish the days we already had together this week. 😌

Media taken Saturday, August 25, Wednesday, August 19 & Saturday, August 22, 2026.

My Parents Visited

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A couple weekends ago, my parents flew down from Michigan to visit Alex, Linley and me. While it was a short trip, it was a lovely weekend and we were all sad it flew by so fast.

I often share how challenging my family dynamic can be – and it still is – but having a good foundation with my parents means so much to me. Even though I may not be close with other family members at the moment, it’s nice to have them at a phone call or quick flight away.

Telling Linley that we were going to the airport
Picking up “Grams and Gramps” from the airport
Caught in a rainstorm, hiding for coverage!
A wet Linley on my mom at lunchtime
Linley was a lot salty sitting on my lap!
Seeing the “Cat Man” on the Beltline at dinner
Linley admiring himself in the reflection
Linley scarfing down his egg at breakfast
Linley’s lookalikes at breakfast!
Linley showing Grams and Gramps all his toys

We’ll be in Michigan for a week during Linley’s Gotcha Day, and we’re looking forward to making more memories and having more quality time.

Media taken Saturday, August 8 and Sunday, August 9, 2026 in Atlanta, GA.

Reflection from August 2024

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Two years ago, I was living some of my hardest days. While the hardest chapter of my life was 2020 – 2023, August of 2024 was a close second. I was still recovering from a horrible back injury that inflicted excruciating physical pain, which led to emotional and mental scarring, too. And while that was going on, we found out that Linley had a tumor in his lung that needed to be removed ASAP. While I was in PT for 10 months and getting spinal epidurals, I was also worrying about whether I would lose my son and best friend (yes, Linley is my baby boy, don’t judge me! 🤣) 

Fast forward to August of 2026: Linley and I are both happy and healthy (thank goodness). But now I’m finding myself “needing” to make up for lost time, wanting to do all the things and rushing my way through the summer. 

This is my reminder to all of you, and to myself, to slow down! We can’t do all the things at once. We can’t commit to every invite or constantly run ourselves to the ground. Sometimes doing less is more, and I’m *slowly* unlearning that going a million miles a minute is the only way to survive. 

Here are photos – both beautiful and tough – from August of 2024. What a rollercoaster that time was, and I’m glad I’m off that ride! 

Shoutout to Piedmont for getting me in touch with the best PT and specialists around, to Blue Pearl Animal Hospital for saving Linley’s life and to all our friends at Bantam who rallied for Linley (and me!) during that time. 🫶 

Photos taken August 2024

Alex’s Mazda Climbed Mount Washington!

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Before heading east, one of my clients said I couldn’t pass through Vermont and New Hampshire without visiting the White Mountains. I felt super ignorant, but I didn’t even realize the White Mountains were a thing! Apparently, we have a mountain range on the east coast that looks exactly like the Alps and I had no idea until a couple months ago…

Needless to say: I’m grateful for the recommendation and it was worth the extra day of the trip!

After our Franconia Notch hike, we cooled down with a drive up Mount Washington. We could’ve hiked it; however, to our surprise, it’s the most dangerous mountain hike in North America. While only slightly above 6,000 feet in elevation, the weather can change on a dime and people constantly get stranded, blown off the mountain from a wind gust or get hypothermia from the drastic changes in weather. I love Alex and Linley too much to risk anything crazy happening! It was smarter to drive, especially after the “moderate” hike we’d already done that morning.

The drive up was beautiful and I soaked up every moment of it. We saw the temperature drop from 85° to about 59°, and saw the Sunny sky turn to an ominous fog. Even though I’ve jumped out of a plane at 18,000 feet, there was something about the foggy drive up that made me feel like we were going to fall off the edge (Alex is a great driver though!)

Once we got to the top, we parked by the couple and their dog we’d seen at dinner the night before. Great minds think alike! We enjoyed some photos and videos of our 360° views around us. It really did feel like I was back in Norway or somewhere else in Europe when we were up there.

Yes, Linley was begging for food at the top!
Double trouble!
Bumper sticker we received on the way up

The drive down was absolutely stunning as it warmed and cleared up. I took much more videos then, as Linley was loving the fresh air and as I was comforted by us using lower gear…

Toys for Linley we bought on the way down: Douglas and Tanner!

We will definitely be in the area again while we travel to upstate New York next summer!

Media taken Friday, July 10, 2026 at Mount Washington Summit

Family Photos (Clayton, NY • 2026)

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From being bullied and ostracized by blood relatives to being accepted and loved by TWO families? Priceless!

I’m grateful to have Alex’s mom’s side of the family here in Georgia, and Alex’s dad’s side in upstate New York. I never thought I would be lucky enough to have one group to call family, and to have two means the absolute world to me. My inner child is healing and I love Alex’s family so much!

I not only had the honor to take surprise engagement photos, but also family photos a couple days later. I can’t wait for next year’s family vacation already!

Linley, of course, had to add some saltiness to the sweet photos…

Lin refused to move, so Grandpa Bill had to pick him up! 🤣

Photos taken Wednesday, July 8, 2026

Welcomed back to Clayton, NY

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After visiting friends in Virginia, we headed to Clayton, New York for the annual Tracey/Viglucci/Yuhas family trip. Alex, Linley and I couldn’t attend last year because we took two weeks off work for our honeymoon, but it was great to be part of the family trip for my second time.

In 2024, us three had a whole extra home to ourselves; this year, we shared with more family members because over 20 of us made the trip this time! We were greeted with a surprise on our bedroom door, hugs from family, and sunshine on Washington Island. It felt so good to be back.

We didn’t see the baby swan we saw two years ago (aka: the Baby Lin swan!), but it’s probably because he’s all grown up now. But we did see our two favorite swans swimming around the island.

After getting settled in, we wanted to head into downtown Clayton for some ice cream, long walks on the waterfront and a nice dinner at Channelside. It felt like yesterday since we were back, and the views, kindness and comfort were just as memorable as last time. Linley was the talk of the town as we strolled around before dinner, and even got attention (and free food!) during our meal.

Cheers!

After dinner, we enjoyed a cozy night in so we could grab coffee in town again the next morning. Linley wanted some of Alex’s breakfast sandwich, and was lucky enough to get some while we chatted with Aunt Maryann.

I miss Clayton already, and will share more posts from our lovely time there. 💛

Media taken Sunday, July 5 – Monday, July 6, 2026 in Clayton, New York.

Watching the World Cup in Atlanta

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I can’t put into words how grateful I am to be living in a city that hosted the World Cup. Not only did Alex and I have the amazing opportunity to go to a game, but we enjoyed watch parties throughout the city with our closest friends. 

From seeing our wonderful Mayor Andre Dickens speak in Old Fourth Ward Park (where Alex and I got married last year), to cheering for Spain in a crowd of Saudi fans at the Mercedes Benz stadium, and watching the final game with our besties, it was an incredible month here in Atlanta. I’m already grieving! I’m so proud of my city, my friends and my chosen family for making this such a once-in-a-lifetime experience. 

Thank you, ATL, for being a great host city for the World Cup! 

Watch party for the first US game in our neighborhood
Enjoying the Spain-Saudi game with one of our best friends and his dad on Father’s Day
Watching Mexico win with friends
Watching the US win another game
Fun after the third place game
Enjoyed seeing Spain win with our closest friends

Rest easy, sweet Ellie

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My next post was supposed to be about the amazing weekend we’d be having with Ellie, and how another Thing 1 & Thing 2 puppy party was taking place. But the truth is we lost sweet Ellie last night before we could see each other again, and we’re completely devastated. 🌈

Ellie will always be Linley’s best friend and our sweet girl. She was Lin’s partner in crime, and her smile and strut turned the heads of many neighbors and friends of my pawrents. And she’s one of the only pups Linley was willing to share anything with, including me on morning walks and his favorite snuggle spot on the couch. 

We always made Ellie and Linley take silly photos together, and I’m so grateful we did. We all shared so many memories together and our shenanigans during sleepovers and holidays are moments we’ll never forget. 

We’ve been emotional because we wish Ellie were here with us this weekend. I’ll never forget all the weekends and holidays we shared. I know Ellie is bumping into other dogs up there and is zooming toward all the good food with her tongue out. 

We love you forever, Miss Elle Belle!

Agility Training • Alex & Linley 🐾

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In 2017 when I first rescued Linley, I knew I wanted to sign him up for training. Lin wasn’t a bad dog by any means, but he had a lot of anxiety and abandonment issues prior to finding his way to my heart. Plus I figured it’d be great bonding for us, because he was still figuring me out.

Linley on graduation day in 2018
Proud boy

On Christmas last year, I wanted to do something special for Alex and Linley to give them the same experience. The founder of Linley’s dog hiking group, Two Chicks and a Pack, recommended Megan at Primed Instincts for dog agility training here in Atlanta. I signed the boys up right away, and they had the best time together!

And here’s some videos if you want to see the guys in action:

I was lucky enough to watch the last two weeks of the agility trainings, and seeing my two favorite fellas always melts my heart! It was cute to see Linley smiling through all the obstacles, and he’d get so serious when following Alex for a treat. And it was awesome to see Alex so serious too; it was like they were both in “work mode.”

Even an 11-year-old dog can learn new tricks, so never sell yourself short 😉

Media taken Sunday, May 3, 2026 at Walker Park in Atlanta, GA